Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing
It’s surprising how dirty the siding, wood or brick of your home can get over a year. Some of the most common stains include mud or dirt, algae, mold and mildew. These things will give any home an unkempt, uncared for look, regardless of if you invest a lot of time, money and care into it.
Some of these materials, like dirt, are harmless, but algae and mold can be destructive to your health and your home. These contaminants produce allergens and bacteria that can affect your family, and some, like algae, can grow underneath vinyl or roofing and enter your home.
As a professional power washing service in Santa Ana, we recommend that you have your home’s exterior cleaned once every 12 months. Spring is the most popular time to do an extreme home exterior washing, but you can do it any time as long as the weather allows.
WHAT NEEDS PRESSURE WASHING?
All of the following surfaces need to be cleaned from time to time:
• Vinyl siding
• Rock and stone
• Brick
• Concrete and asphalt
Power washing used to be the only way to thoroughly clean vinyl siding, brick and painted surfaces. Now in 2021, homeowners in Santa Ana have a second option for exterior home cleaning: soft washing.
As the names imply, one method is much gentler than the other one, but there’s a little more to it than that. Let’s cover the features of each method to help you decide which one is best for your home.
WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?
The soft wash system uses less power than a typical pressure washer, hence the name. The highest water pressure used in a soft washing system is 500 PSI. This lower spray is created from a nozzle with a wider spray option, only slightly more powerful than your backyard hose.
Soft washing uses a mixture of soap, bleach and water in combination to eliminate organic matter from your home, roof and other exterior surfaces. The cleaning solution used in a soft washing process can also include algaecides and residual inhibitors to help deter further growth of these types of organisms in the future.
Because chemicals, not pressure, are key to cleaning the exterior surfaces, no powerful water is required. This means that soft washing should be used for more delicate surfaces that might otherwise be harmed by higher pressure washing equipment.
The soft wash chemicals are sometimes cleaned off, but not every time. This just depends on what type of chemicals are used, if there’s plant or animal life that might be impacted by the runoff, and if the solution itself is powerful enough to harm surfaces over time.
Soft washing provides the distinct advantage of reaching into cracks to eliminate unseen organisms, meaning that its effects can last a lot longer than standard power washing.
WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?
Pressure washing has long been the gold standard for cleaning exterior surfaces. It is very effective and efficient, which is why a lot of home and business owners prefer it over soft washing.
This cleaning system uses water only, there are no chemicals, to remove stains and mildew from exterior surfaces. The use of plain water is a major plus to home and business owners who don’t want to use cleaning chemicals, whether for the sake of the environment or to avoid zoning violations.
The pressure washing process can be used on many different materials. Home and business owners often choose power washing for cleaning their driveway, patio, decks, sidewalks and patio furniture because it is fast, more efficient and cost-effective.
Pressure washing uses anywhere from 1300 to 3100 PSI water pressure with water sprayed out from a tiny nozzle for maximum power. Both organic and inorganic materials are blasted from your home’s exterior surface, stopping their growth and renewing the appearance of your home.
One drawback to power washing is that the water can sometimes be too powerful and lead to damaging the surfaces you want to clean. Pressure washing is powerful enough to cut grooves in wood and plastic, and it can get into cracks, breaking off pieces of brick or stone.
IS PRESSURE WASHING OR SOFT WASHING BETTER?
The real question for homeowners is, “Is pressure washing or soft washing better?”
Both soft washing and pressure washing methods are good for your home’s exterior, as well as sidewalks, driveways and more. Both of these cleaning systems can be performed by a professional company – and truthfully, are more correctly done when left to the pros.
Soft washing is excellent for outdoor toys, yard tools, roof shingles, decks, gutters, patios and painted surfaces because it is less likely to harm plastic and wood. It’s also a safe and smart choice for vinyl siding.
It eliminates organisms that are present on the exterior surface, and it stops future growth for a lot longer than power washing can.
A problem with soft washing is that it can kill plant life under the surface that you’re cleaning. Remember to spray them with water right before putting the soft wash chemicals on your home or roof, and it shouldn’t be a problem.
Pressure washing is the preferred choice for difficult stains, and harder surfaces like asphalt, brick and stone. Pressure washing is the preferred choice for commercial properties. A professional pressure washing service in Santa Ana may use a mixture of chemicals and water pressure to remove problematic stains, but they need to tell you if they will be using chemicals during your estimate.
It can be used for siding too (and has been for several years) as long as it is done correctly. High water pressure can damage weak or small pieces of the vinyl. A company that does power washing often are going to know how to protect vulnerable pieces, but a DIYer can do a lot of harm.
Your home’s roof is off limits for power washing if you have slate, tile or asphalt shingles. The pressure of the water will likely damage these materials and require you to replace your home’s roof far earlier than expected.
Choosing between pressure washing or soft washing is best left for a pressure washing service. Which process is right for your home? Give Santa Ana Pressure Washing a call at 714-597-6597 and we’ll send an experienced technician over to take a look!